Puppy helps over 60 villagers escape catastrophic landslide: 'Without him, we might not be here'
When devastating cloudbursts unleashed flash floods and landslides across India's Mandi district on the night of June 30, a sleeping puppy became an unlikely hero. By simply listening to his instincts — and letting out a howl that roused the entire neighborhood — this 5-month-old dog, reportedly named Rocky, helped save more than 60 people from being buried under rubble.
According to The Hindu, the region experienced 10 cloudbursts that triggered a chain of deadly events. At least 15 people died, five were injured, and 27 remain missing. Entire homes were flattened. Over 1,100 houses were damaged, nearly 800 livestock were killed, and essential infrastructure — including roads, water lines, and transformers — crumbled in the storm.
But amid the chaos, a moment of precision: A family dog, on the second floor of a home, began barking and howling uncontrollably. Awakened by the commotion, his owner, Narender, got up to investigate — and found a massive crack in the wall, with water beginning to seep through.
Narender wasted no time. He ran to alert his neighbors, urging everyone to evacuate. Just moments later, a landslide ripped through the area, destroying much of what had stood just minutes before. Thanks to Rocky's warning, dozens of villagers made it out alive.
This remarkable story reminds us that resilience — and sometimes even lifesaving support — can come from unexpected places. Dogs are known to detect subtle environmental cues, including shifts in air pressure, ground vibrations, and scents, long before humans can. While not every pet will save a village, this moment underscores the very real connections among animals, humans, and the ecosystems we share.
As climate-driven disasters grow more frequent and intense, such stories highlight how early warnings — whether from sophisticated tech or a howling pup — can mean the difference between life and loss. They also emphasize the importance of community readiness, resilient infrastructure, and disaster planning.
Union Minister J.P. Nadda, who visited the site shortly after the disaster, affirmed that the government is committed to supporting affected families. According to his remarks, over ₹2,000 crore was released to aid in ongoing relief efforts, and more support is on the way.
But for the people of Siyathi, the most immediate and unforgettable help came from one furry friend.
While the recovery process will take time, this community — with the help of one very good dog — is already a symbol of hope, quick action, and the strength it takes to move forward.
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CNN
2 days ago
- CNN
US and India launch historic joint mission that could change the way we see Earth
A first-of-its-kind satellite has launched to track nearly imperceptible changes on Earth's surface, an effort that could aid with responses to natural disasters. Called the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar mission, or NISAR, the spacecraft is equipped with two kinds of synthetic aperture radar designed by the US space agency and the Indian Space Research Organization in the countries' first joint satellite project. The radar, pioneered by NASA to use in space, works like conventional radar in that it uses microwaves to detect distant surfaces and objects. But advanced data processing enables the details to be seen at high resolution. NISAR lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on India's southeastern coast at 8:10 a.m. ET (5:40 p.m. IST) Wednesday aboard an ISRO Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, or GSLV-F16. The launch was streamed live on NASA+ and the agency's YouTube channel. The satellite will orbit Earth 14 times per day in order to complete scans of almost all of the planet's ice and land surfaces twice every 12 days, detecting changes in Earth's surface down to fractions of an inch in the process. NISAR's dual radar will collect information that could allow for a better understanding of landslides and earthquakes, and improve the monitoring of ice sheets, glaciers, permafrost, forests, wetlands and agricultural fields. The data, which will be publicly available as it is collected and downloaded from the satellite, will also be used to prepare for and respond to hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, flooding and wildfires. The mission, first proposed in 2014, will allow scientists to monitor Earth like never before, changing the way we study our home planet and better predicting a natural disaster before it strikes, said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. 'Even though we may not always notice it, much of our Earth's land surface is in constant motion,' Fox said. 'The changes, however, are so subtle that right now they're virtually undetectable. The need to be better prepared before, during and after the challenges caused by natural disasters around the world could not be greater.' NISAR, which is about the length of a pickup truck, is expected to capture a broad range of information due to its dual radar system — an L-band system with a 10-inch (25-centimeter) wavelength, and an S-band system with a 4-inch (10-centimeter) wavelength. The L-band was provided by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, while the S-band was supplied by ISRO. 'NISAR is an equal 50/50, partnership between NASA and ISRO,' said Wendy Edelstein, NISAR deputy project manager at NASA's JPL, during a July 21 news conference. 'These two radars work together to achieve science that neither could see on their own.' The signal of each system is calibrated to features of different sizes on Earth. Shorter wavelengths in the S-band can measure small objects, like leaves and the roughness of surfaces, to monitor crops, while long wavelengths in the L-band can peer through thick tree canopies to study forest structure and even spot boulders and tree trunks. The radar systems can also take specific measurements of motion, land deformation and moisture content. By bouncing microwave signals off Earth's surface and receiving return signals on a large radar antenna reflector, NISAR will be able to see through clouds and rain during the day and at night. The satellite's continuous observation could spot potential land movement before a volcanic eruption, or help scientists understand how motion on Earth's surface could disrupt infrastructure like levees or dams. It could even provide insights about where earthquakes may occur, according to NASA. The satellite is the result of conversations between NASA and ISRO that began in response to the National Academy of Science's 2007 decadal survey, which identified research priorities and recommended prioritizing observations of Earth. The two agencies signed an agreement on September 30, 2014, to partner on the NISAR mission. In addition to providing the S-band radar, ISRO is calibrating the instrument, processing its data and developing algorithms to achieve the scientific goals of the mission. The agency has also supplied the body of the satellite, the launch vehicle and launch services. Meanwhile, NASA contributed a radar reflector antenna, a deployable boom, a communication subsystem for incoming data and other aspects of the spacecraft. 'We are two nations with one mission,' said Karen St. Germain, director of Earth science at NASA, during a recent news conference. 'NISAR unites the US and India to study our home planet together. The collaboration, cooperation and information sharing between our two agencies is a foundation that we really look forward to continuing to build upon.' Previously, some NASA instruments were flown aboard India's first deep-space mission Chandrayaan-1, which launched in 2008 and orbited the moon for nearly two years. Together, members of the NASA and ISRO team collaborated across 13 time zones and more than 9,000 miles (14,500 kilometers) to work on NISAR, requiring long-distance travel and many late-night and early morning video calls to build and test systems. The hardware was assembled on two different continents before being integrated in India to complete the satellite. Edelstein has traveled to India more than 25 times over the past decade and spent more than 150 days over the last two years working alongside team members at ISRO. Traveling from JPL, it took her 36 hours, door to door, to reach Bengaluru, India, where the systems were being tested. But she said the journey has allowed her to get to know her colleagues at ISRO well and be immersed in Indian culture — something she calls a very big personal highlight. St. Germain agrees: 'Building a satellite on opposite sides of the world during a global pandemic was really hard, but it strengthened our relationship with ISRO,' she said. Dr. Jitendra Singh, India's Minister for Science and Technology, said the mission is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for India to become a 'Vishwa Bandhu,' or a global partner that contributes to the collective good of humanity, according to a news release shared by the country's Press Information Bureau. 'This mission is not just about a satellite launch — it is a moment that symbolises what two democracies committed to science and global welfare can achieve together. NISAR will not only serve India and the United States but will also provide critical data for countries around the world, especially in areas like disaster management, agriculture, and climate monitoring,' Singh said. 'NISAR is not just a satellite; it is India's scientific handshake with the world.' Sign up for CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
'The most sophisticated radar we've ever built': US-Indian NISAR satellite launches to track tiny changes on Earth's surface (video)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The U.S. and India just sent a powerful new set of radar eyes into the sky. The NISAR satellite, a joint mission of NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) lifted off today (July 30) from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in southeastern India, opening a new era of radar Earth observation. NISAR is "the most sophisticated radar we've ever built," Karen St. Germain, director of NASA's Earth Science Division, said during a prelaunch briefing on Monday (July 28). "The science of NISAR will advance our understanding of the Earth system with cutting-edge technology capable of studying changes in land and ice — changes as small as a centimeter, in any weather and in both darkness and light." NISAR (short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) rose off the pad today at 8:10 a.m. EDT (1210 GMT; 5:40 p.m. India Standard Time) atop a GSLV Mk II, one of India's brawniest rockets. The three-stage, 170-foot-tall (52-meter-tall) launcher (whose name is short for Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark II) did its job, deploying NISAR into a 463-mile-high (745-kilometer-high) orbit about 18.5 minutes after liftoff as planned. "I am extremely happy to announce that GSLV Mk II vehicle has successfully and precisely injected the NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite, NISR satellite, bringing 2300 kg into its intended orbit," ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan said to mission operators and guests in attendance at the launch after confirmation of payload separation. "Let me congratulate all the teams from ISRO and NASA JPL on this outstanding success." Following his remarks, NASA Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails said, "on behalf of NASA, I just I want to congratulate all of the teams. It is been just an incredible decade, culminating in this moment, from the technical collaborations, the cultural understandings, getting to know each other, building that team across continents, across time zones." "This Earth science mission is one of a kind, and really shows the world what our two nations can do. But more so than that, it really is a pathfinder for the relationship building that we see across our two nations," she said. Mission team members will spend the next 90 days or so checking out NISAR and its various systems, making sure everything is working well. Then, the satellite will begin its ambitious Earth-observing mission. NISAR will scrutinize our planet's surface using synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which can peer through clouds and operate in all lighting conditions. The spacecraft sports two SAR instruments, one built by NASA and the other by ISRO. Their radar signals will be beamed down to Earth by a 39-foot-wide (12-meter-wide), NASA-built antenna reflector, which launched in a folded configuration. The gold-plated mesh reflector will also catch the returning waves, which will hold lots of interesting information about the surface that bounced them back. "With NISAR, we will see the precursors to natural hazards, such as earthquakes, landslides and volcanoes," St. Germain said during Monday's briefing. "We'll see land subsidence and swelling, movement, deformation and melting of mountain glaciers and ice sheets covering both Greenland and Antarctica, and, of course, we'll see wildfires," she added. "We'll also see human-induced land changes, such as farm and ranch production, use of water for municipal drinking and farm irrigation and infrastructure, land development, houses, commercial buildings, railroads, highways and bridges." Related Stories: — Facts about ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation — India launches Earth-observing satellite on 3rd mission of new rocket (video) — India launches Aditya-L1 solar observatory, its 1st-ever sun probe NISAR's orbit takes it over both poles, so the satellite will get a good look at Earth's ice sheets. NISAR will scan almost all of the planet's ice- and land-covered area every six days, and it will do this work for at least five years. (The NASA SAR instrument has a three-year baseline mission life, but its ISRO counterpart is supposed to operate for five.) The total cost of the NISAR mission is about $1.5 billion, according to India Today. NASA is footing about 80% of that bill, the outlet reported. NISAR's roots go all the way back to 2007; the mission was a response to the Earth-observation priorities laid out that year in a "decadal survey" published by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. The NISAR partnership was officially forged on Sept. 30, 2014, with the signing of documents by then-NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and then-ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Radar satellite launched by India and NASA will track minuscule changes to Earth's land and ice
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA and India paired up to launch an Earth-mapping satellite on Wednesday capable of tracking even the slightest shifts in land and ice. The $1.3 billion mission will help forecasters and first responders stay one step ahead of floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other disasters, according to scientists. Rocketing to orbit from India, the satellite will survey virtually all of Earth's terrain multiple times. Its two radars — one from the U.S. and the other from India — will operate day and night, peering through clouds, rain and foliage to collect troves of data in extraordinary detail. Microwave signals beamed down to Earth from the dual radars will bounce back up to the satellite's super-sized antenna reflector perched at the end of a boom like a beach umbrella. Scientists will compare the incoming and outgoing signals as the spacecraft passes over the same locations twice every 12 days, teasing out changes as small as a fraction of an inch (1 centimeter). 'Congratulations India!' India's minister of science and technology, Jitendra Singh, said via X once the satellite safely reached orbit. The mission 'will benefit the entire world community.' NASA's deputy associate administrator Casey Swails, part of a small delegation that traveled to India for the launch, said it 'really shows the world what our two nations can do. But more so than that, it really is a pathfinder for the relationship building,.' It will take a full week to extend the satellite's 30-foot (9-meter) boom and open the 39-foot-in-diameter (12-meter) drum-shaped reflector made of gold-plated wire mesh. Science operations should begin by the end of October. Among the satellite's most pressing measurements: melting glaciers and polar ice sheets; shifting groundwater supplies; motion and stress of land surfaces prompting landslides and earthquakes; and forest and wetland disruptions boosting carbon dioxide and methane emissions. It's 'a first-of-its-kind, jewel radar satellite that will change the way we study our home planet and better predict a natural disaster before it strikes," NASA's science mission chief Nicky Fox said ahead of liftoff. She was part of the NASA delegation that attended the launch in person. NASA is contributing $1.2 billion to the three-year mission; it supplied the low-frequency radar and reflector. The Indian Space Research Organization's $91 million share includes the higher-frequency radar and main satellite structure, as well as the launch from a barrier island in the Bay of Bengal. It's the biggest space collaboration between the two countries. The satellite called NISAR — short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar — will operate from a near-polar-circling orbit 464 miles (747 kilometers) high. It will join dozens of Earth observation missions already in operation by the U.S. and India. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Marcia Dunn, The Associated Press
